Vallecitos Water District 2023 Landscape Makeover Winners Find Inspiration
Three resourceful homeowners took advantage of free resources, including design and plant selection advice, to create beautiful drought-tolerant landscapes. Their projects were named winners of the 2023 Vallecitos Water District Landscape Makeover Contest.
Video features the three winning projects
Dean Williams: Drab To Delightful
Carlsbad homeowner Dean Williams and his wife didn’t like their existing landscaping.
“It wasn’t a garden, it was a yard,” recalls Williams.
In 2020, Williams found resources on the Vallecitos Water District website for saving water by redesigning your landscaping. The results won first place in the 2023 landscape makeover contest.
Dean Williams’ home after completing his landscape makeover. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
“There are so many resources. The first step was to take some landscape classes offered through the San Diego County Water Authority, find out the process and what I needed to do,” said Williams.
After removing existing turf using the sheet mulching method to create healthy soil, he planned a colorful plant palette to replace his grass.
Dean Williams’ home before his winning landscape makeover. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
“One of the big things I wanted to change was to go from a drab landscape to having some variety by using different textures on the plants, different flowers, different colors, and complementing colors,” said Williams, who used purple and yellow as the primary landscape colors. “I tried to have an interesting landscape pleasing to the eye.”
The colorful redesign saves water and costs. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Williams said the benefit of installing drip irrigation and a smart controller was significant water and cost savings.
“We’ve noticed over that our water use and bills have gone slowly down,” he said.
Lessons learned
Williams said the “do it yourself” project offered many lessons learned, including watering too often.
“Drought-tolerant plants don’t do well in wet soil,” said Williams.
Williams encourages other homeowners to tap into all the available resources through the Vallecitos Water District, Water Authority, City of Carlsbad, and others for advice and possible rebates to offset their investment.
“It just pays in more ways than one to change your landscape. “I want to thank Vallecitos Water District for selecting us so we can showcase our landscape transformation,” said Williams.
Dean Williams took advantage of free resources offered by the Vallecitos Water District and San Diego County Water Authority. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Donald De Tar: DIY project earns second place
Donald De Tar’s home after completing his landscape makeover. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Donald De Tar learned about the annual Landscape Makeover Contest through the Palomar Cactus and Succulent Society. “So, we decided on a lark to enter,” said De Tar.
His Woodlawn Park area home in San Marcos is dedicated to succulents, cactus, and drought-tolerant plants.
De Tar says it not only saves water but it also saves time spent mowing, fertilizing, and trimming grass. It’s also a lot of fun.
Donald De Tar’s home before his landscape makeover. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
De Tar is proud of the budget-friendly approach to his landscaping.
“I did it on a very inexpensive budget,” said De Tar. “It doesn’t have to be super expensive, especially if you join an organization like the Palomar Cactus and Succulent Society. It can be almost free, especially if you’re doing the work yourself.”
De Tar learned about rebate programs through the Vallecitos Water District, and he successfully applied for rebates to offset costs. “Over time, we did the whole yard, and the backyards and side yards have been transformed.”
I’m very appreciative of the Vallecitos contest,” said De Tar. “I like the fact that Vallecitos is involved in the community and promotes these kinds of contests.”
Mily Le Wins Third Place
The results of Mily Le’s landscape makeover, which won second place. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Third place went to longtime San Marcos homeowner Mily Le. She learned about the annual landscape contest through the Vallecitos Water District’s customer newsletter, “Between The Pipes.”
Le visited the lawn replacement program website and learned how to remove her regional grass safely and effectively. She got her design laid out and purchased plants from her local nursery.
The Mily Le home before her landscape makeover. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
As a result, Le says she saves about 30% of her water consumption after replacing her lawn. She says she learned from a neighbor’s experience about researching the eventual size of plants before planting them.
“(My neighbor) did not look it up,” she said. “She had to demolish the front yard, so I took that lesson.”
Le suggests lots of advance planning with your layout. “I’m glad I did it. I think it’s a successful project,” said Le.
For rebates, classes, and water-saving tips: sdcwa.org/your-water/conservation/.
(Editor’s note: The Vallecitos Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)
